The crew of the USS Carl Vinson this week received a token of appreciation from Michigan State, one that salutes the sailors and celebrates their aircraft carrier's role in November's history-making basketball game.

A banner signed by all Michigan State basketball players and coaches and covered in thousands of signatures from fans was delivered to the USS Carl Vinson this week. It now adorns the ship's hangar bay.

The banner was signed by thousands of fans during MSU's Dec. 20 game versus Missouri-Kansas City at the Breslin Center. Coach Tom Izzo, his assistants and players also signed the banner.

Izzo introduced the Breslin Center crowd to the banner at halftime of that game, delivering an impassioned speech about the nation's armed forces. He thanked the many past and present military men and women in attendance before leaving the court wiping tears from his eyes.

"After two trips to Kuwait and playing on the aircraft carrier, I'm embarrassed to say I have a better appreciation because I should have that," Izzo said after the MSU-UMKC game. "But it's kind of one of those things that if you aren't involved and you've never been in the military you just don't know as well."

Izzo said the Carrier Classic was a great event and he thanked those aboard the USS Carl Vinson for hosting it. He said that experience, as well as his prior trips to Kuwait, "changed my life."

"As I was leaving that aircraft carrier saying bye to all the sailors, I'm thinking, 'I'm going back to a ritzy hotel and chartering home and they're going off to sea,'" he said. "You just get a better appreciation of how important they are.

"They don't get enough credit, they really don't. It's our fault, and you can put me on that list. Hopefully, I'm going to keep trying to do things better."